Virtual Vengeance
by Rosemary Wanderer
Summary: Lyoko is at peace, X.A.N.A. hasn't attacked in days, and it's the big day of the mousetrap car race. Can anything go wrong for our heroes? Apparently, everything can.
1. Preparations and Warnings

Aelita sat cross-legged on the boulder, the wind dancing through her pink hair. Not that the wind was real. Or that she was, for that matter. Nevertheless, she soaked in the noon sun's rays, relishing the peace that had finally descended on Lyoko.

A distant rumble then caused Aelita's eyes to snap open.

"X.A.N.A.," she whispered.

Although X.A.N.A. had not attacked Lyoko for nearly three days, last night had brought the first of the pulsations that indicated an impending attack. But the rumbles were still too weak to follow and find the tower X.A.N.A. was using as his access port. Though Aelita strained her ears towards the outlying pulses, silence followed her efforts.

"Maybe I should warn Jeremie of this," Aelita thought as she got to her feet and stretched her virtual limbs. "X.A.N.A. hasn't attacked in so long..." With a final stretch, she began to walk towards a nearby tower, hoping Jeremie was on his laptop as usual.

* * *

Jeremie's laptop was on the floor leaning against the legs of his desk, recharging its batteries.

"Hey, everything set for today?" Odd asked as he dashed into his seat just as the bell rang.

"Everything's under control," Jeremie replied, reaching down to pet the laptop beside him.

"Yeah, relax, Odd," Ulrich added, who had just added the final touches to the notes. "Unless Team Sissi decides to put a laser beam on top of their mousetrap car, I don't think we have much to worry about."

"Hey, _Ulrich_," Sissi beamed as she strutted towards them.

"Speak of the devil," he muttered in reply.

"You should have joined _my_ group," Sissi said, either not hearing Ulrich's comment or choosing to tactfully ignore it. "We've practically _guaranteed_ the best grade in the class, not to mention first place in the race." She leaned in close, batting her eyelashes furiously. "Sure you won't change your mind?" Ulrich grimaced in response, trying to sink back into his chair and onto the floor.

"He doesn't need anyone to do his work for him, Sissi," Odd interrupted, rescuing his friend as she spun in fury towards him. "Rumor has it Herb's done everything but choose the colors of the car. What are they, sissy pink and jealous green?" To everyone's surprise, especially Sissi, she was speechless. In fact it was Herb, standing right behind her, who spoke up in defense.

"We'll see who's jealous at the end of the race." Spinning on his heel, Herb marched confidently back to his desk, Nicholas close behind. Sissi, after turning up her nose at Odd, followed.

"Oooh, I'm so _scared_," Odd mocked at their retreating backs. "At least we don't have to cheat to win." They all remembered the robot competition where Herb's robot illegally shot out hardware nuts to destroy the opposition. After X.A.N.A. attacked and they were sent back to the past, they were able to dodge the nut and win the competition.

"Herb's right about one thing," Jeremie said. Ulrich and Odd spun around, jaws dropping.

"Are you feeling all right? Because I swear I just heard you say that Herb was right about something," Ulrich said.

"We won't know who will win until the end of the race," Jeremie quickly explained.

"Well, I can't wait until we kick butt!" Odd cried out, punching a fist into the air in triumph.

"Unfortunately, you _will_ have to wait," interrupted Mrs. Hertz, glaring down at Odd's suddenly sheepish grin. "The race will start after the presentations. And since you are so eager to 'kick butt,' as you say, your group will be going first." This was met with groans by the three team members, although everyone else was struggling to keep straight faces. "_And_ they will also go first in the races." Now everyone else groaned- their cars would be compared to Jeremie's! Meanwhile Jeremie was attaching the wires for video and audio to the overhead screen projector. As soon as the laptop warmed up, Aelita popped up on the screen, relief washing through her face.

"Jeremie! Thank goodness, I've b..." Then Aelita, projected onto the large screen, finally noticed the stunned faces of the whole class staring back at her.

"Jeremie...?" Mrs. Hertz began, waiting for an explanation. All Jeremie could do was stare open-mouthed at Aelita, who stared back at him and everyone else.

"She's... she's my cousin!" Odd bailed out Jeremie. "Aelita, what have I told you about contacting your boyfriend during school hours?"

"Boyfriend...?" both Jeremie and Ulrich repeated at the same time.

"Jeremie has a _girlfriend_?!" Sissi laughed.

"I am sorry for my intrusion," Aelita stammered at last. Her face as pink as her hair (which was saying something), she disappeared off-screen, and the browser window closed behind her. Jeremie, redder than Aelita, attempted to open up the presentation, while Odd snorted with laughter.

"Congratulations, Jeremie!" Ulrich grinned, patting him on the back. "Rumors already and you haven't even taken her on a date!"


	2. Mousetrap Racing Time!

When the races finally began, Odd was disappointed to learn that they weren't races at all, but long-distance trials. Nevertheless, their mousetrap car ran smoothly and even went past the janitor's closet, a feat that no one else had matched. Although everyone else continued to secretly fiddle with their cars while other raced, Herb simply stood confidently by his car, arms crossed, and a smug smile tugging at his lips. When it was his group's turn, Herb was setting the mousetrap and proceeding towards the starting line when Jeremie interrupted the "ceremony."

"Hey, Herb, why don't you give someone else a try? You've done everything else for your group!" Before Herb could reply, Mrs. Hertz stepped in.

"Is this true, Herb? Who built this car?"

"Well... I... I designed it, but... er... Nicholas! He did the actual construction. And Sissi... she... she..." He evidently was drawing a blank to what Sissi did to contribute. Other than the name, the Sissi Dream Racer.

"Well, Sissi can run the car in any case, so I suggest she does so now," Mrs. Hertz ruled. Sissi threw a look of wild panic to Herb.

"How do I work this thing?!" she mouthed. Other people around her began to giggle. Despite Herb's quickly whispered instructions, all the while under the skeptical eye of the elderly science teacher, it was a complete failure. Sissi's attempts had only made the mousetrap snap shut too soon, causing the vehicle to spin in circles before mercifully coming to a stop, two feet away from Sissi's shaking hands and scarlet face. Mrs. Hertz only shook her head.

"I am disappointed in all three of you," she said at last. "I expect much better work from you, and I hardly need to remind you that this project was meant to be a team effort. Since you insist on working individually, I expect on my desk first thing tomorrow morning three separate conclusions from each of you on why this car failed the experiment." Just then the bell rang, and everyone got to their feet. "Remember, conclusions due tomorrow for all of you!" Jeremie was about to follow Ulrich and Odd to meet Yumi outside when suddenly Herb's face was in his own, acne and all.

"Happy now, Jeremie?" he muttered so only Jeremie could hear. "Seems that I'm not the only one who needs to cheat to win." But Jeremie had had enough of this, of Herb's grudge, of Sissi's taunting. How many times had he saved their lives, that he had been thanked for it? And Herb was worried about a little extra homework that he had probably already done? Though his temper certainly wasn't short, he had reached his boiling point. So Jeremie did something that no one, not even himself, ever expected.

"Shut up, Herb," Jeremie retorted, shoving him out of the way. "You deserved what you got and you know it." Running to catch up with Odd and Ulrich, he didn't see the look of shock and anger plastered over Herb's features. Something had snapped, and it wasn't just Jeremie's temper.


End file.
